Opinion
Column

Lincoln McCardle shows off his Twittens, which make tweeting and making phone calls in cold weather more comfortable. McCardle is also the host of a television show about Twitter, showing the connection between old media and new. (Free Press file photo)

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that in my life, whether it’s in relation to personal or professional relationships. But the way we interact is changing drastically.

London as a municipality is being recognized as a hub of digital technology in Southwestern Ontario thanks, in part, to some exciting entrepreneurs, in many elements of electronic business.

The London Economic Development Corporation played a paramount role in planning and promoting the now-annual DIG Conference (Digital Interactive Gaming) this week at the London Convention Centre.

Friday and Saturday, the Western Fair District hosts the first annual TES (Technology and Electronics Show).

London is becoming and mover and a shaker.

Lincoln McArdle is an unassuming, upbeat London cheerleader who would never brag that he single handedly came up with the concept of Twittens. They are warm hand protectors specifically designed to allow the owner to Tweet while staving off the elements. He also came up with the concept for a local television show with Rogers called #lndont, a program about London happenings and events, tweeted about on Twitter. He is humble but deserves recognition.

Communicating has many avenues in London, Canada and worldwide.

Many local businesses are feeling the pinch to enter the world of social media for their marketing. They feel they are missing the boat otherwise. People in the know tell them they must be on Twitter and have a Facebook page.

Because social meda, like technology, is constantly changing and evolving, the currents often shift before standard education programs can be developed. Clever entrepreneurs have picked up on the lack of a set curriculum and now offer training on social-media platforms. How many of the students leave and utilize it, let alone understand it? And if they don’t use it, is it necessary?

What about individuals with a barrier to communication, such as an auditory challenge, a visual impairment or maybe a learning challenge? Will these business owners be left in the cold when it comes to social-media marketing they are told they require? Will opportunities be missed?

Business owners and decision makers are also multi-generational, meaning some remember the age of paper trails and hard copies, and others have never heard of a duotang or round file. How do these folks fit into the world of technology and social media and work together under the same roof? A more-seasoned individual may find it a challenge to interact with someone who was brought up on e-mails and text messages, with little face-to-face contact. A younger worker may find it perplexing and time-consuming that a client insists on a personal visit or phone conversation with a human, or that an employee is resistant to embrace the use of newer technologies.

The way we communicate has to bridge several generations, but are we addressing that? It seems to me there is a huge gap, literally and figuratively.

The elephant in the room is that our city has been through hard times and there are many residents out of work in their 40s, 50s and 60s. When faced with the decision to hire someone younger, keener and with lower salary expectations, if you were the business owner, who would you hire? Would an aging worker be overlooked because they lack experience or may not have the knowledge base when it comes to communication technologically? I believe there’s some truth to that.

Who will lead by example and show an up-and-comer what a great work ethic is, or how to plan, execute and deliver on a program or campaign? Some folks are lucky enough to have had that lesson at home, but many have not.

Multi-generational communication is nothing new, but we are living in times that are dictated by speed: The speed of technological advancement versus the ability, or even desire, to keep up or even catch up.